Thomas

The following is an email, recently received from a pet lover. I have removed names for privacy…

Dear Saving Pets,

I wanted to share Thomas’ story with you to hopefully make a difference and save other dogs like him.

My mother and I were foster carers for the RSPCA Yagoona shelter in Sydney. We had taken in three puppies who had found new homes, and we were very happy with the system. Then, in May this year, we got Thomas.

Thomas was the sweetest dog yet. A white Coolie puppy about 6 months old. He was blind, partially deaf, and had a broken leg (the reason we were caring for him). Our instructions were to keep him still while he recovered from the break. We could crate train him to make sure he was always still and do behavour training to keep him calm, but the main purpose was to let his leg heal.

We did as we were asked and grew to love the puppy. He sometimes cried when we left him (as all puppies do) and we found he was slow to detach from us as we were a guide in his limited sensory world. He liked when we were around making noise so he could orientate himself. After one month, he was allowed to move around more and to our delight he began exploring the house on his own. He would go into our bedrooms when we turned our backs to explore.

Then he had to have an x-ray. We took him back to the RSPCA thinking it would be a physical check-up then maybe a few more weeks in our care as his leg was much better. We were looking forward to walking him as coolies are sheep dogs and he had so much energy, keeping him still was taking its toll on him and us. It was clear he just wanted to run.

We left him at the shelter to see the vet.

The next day we got a phone call. Thomas had been diagnosed with separation anxiety and was going to be put down.

We were shocked. The RSPCA told us he was always being watched for this disorder, and since he cries when we leave and cried in the shelter he clearly had it. We said we never knew he was being watched for this. When we went through his paperwork there was no mention of it.

We told them he was gaining independence. He needed time. He hadn’t lived without a broken leg, you couldn’t tell his temperament until you let him run. Let him release his energy and be a normal dog. We asked for one more week to help rehabilitate this. We told him he was confident in our home, why couldn’t we adopt him? If he’s anxious being away from our house, why not just let him have a happy life in our house? If their only option is to kill, then we’ll take him.

They said they’d call us back.

The next day they called and said the decision was still final. We pleaded with them for over an hour to see sense. They kept saying this was a last resort they were sad to take, except every other option we offered was rebutted. We could think of dozens of other options, but they ignored us. They had spent months rehabilitating him for a broken leg and not one day rehabilitating him for his supposed separation anxiety.

The biggest shock was next.

We called back later and spoke to an assistant in the hopes we could speak to someone higher up and save Thomas. She told us Thomas had been killed earlier that day. The last time on the phone, as we begged for his life, he was already dead. The RSPCA never told us, they pretended he was still alive as we tried to bargain to save him.

This is not the prevention of cruelty. This is cruelty. This dog could have had a life with us, but they refused him life. They preferred to kill him than to allow any other intervention. It is clear to me that the RSPCA does not take death as a last resort, but as a first resort.

We will never foster care for them again. We are in grief for the lost puppy who was never given a chance and I fear for any dog in that “shelter” now.

Thanks for reading my story. I wanted to share it with you so that maybe the puppy I loved and lost will have some voice in this world. I’ve attached photos of Thomas from the time he lived with us.

{Name removed}

358 comments to “Thomas”

This is one of the saddest stories I have seen yet. I thought the objective of a animal shelter was to find them a forever home. Clearly this sweet and special dog had a chance at a forever home. What is wrong with this RSPCA??? I am appalled at their actions. These pictures breaks my heart that such a sweet and loving doggy died with no just cause. I hope enough people read this and take action. I am so sorry to the kind folks who offered him a forever home and they were given no choice in the matter.

i donot like the rspca in the uk, i donot have alot of faith in them at all, i have always said they put animals down for no reason at all.i used to surport them by giving them money each month but i stopped this along time ago because the more i hear about the more i hate the rspca.i would never surport them ever. and to put this little dog down is disgraceful, he could have had a lovely home with that family

I cried and cried when I read this story. Why couldn’t the RPSCA give him more time???? at least he had a family that loved and adored him! for God’s sake, he wasn’t given the time and patience he clearly needed to aid his recovery. They were willing, loving dog owners. isn’t that what the RSPCA would want from EVERY dog owners.

Dogs, like humans, are not always perfect!! I rescued a dog that had been badly abused. He had epilepsy. He had anxiety. He was petrified and wouldn’t let us pick him up (he had been thrown against a wall so hated being picked up). He cringed when I raised my hand for any reason whatsoever. He was timid. His hair had fallen out from anxiety. But he was given to me NOT through the RSPCA but another rescue site. I took that little boy, with all his massive problems. I gave him love and time. He came to love me and trust me, and was by my side 24 hours of the day. His hair grew back, his seizures lessened. He was a happy, loving little boy and I grew to adore him. I had him for two years… he sadly died of a massive seizure when I was away on holidays, and a friend was taking care of him. That little boy had a wonderful life with the owner before me (she took him after the abuser lost him). Who would deny that little baby boy the joy we gave him? so.. should HE had been killed? and never known what a happy loving forever family was like! NO!!! Yes it was hard to take care of him, and yes my heart broke when I saw him at first, but my heart sang when he started to recover. if a loving family is PREPARED TO PUT IN THE TIME,then shame on you RSPCA for not giving that baby boy a chance at happiness. I detest everything about the RSPCA. hate them with a vengeance. Don’t print your ridiculous stories about why you killed Thomas! we don’t fall for it.

Absolutely Not the PRACTICE I would have Expected from the RSPCA!! TRAGIC ~ How on Earth can we now trust the RSPCA !!!! Words fail me…. my condolences to the Family ~ Lets Try and get the TV show of the Caring RSPCA OFF OF OUR TELEVISIONS !!!!!!! I WILL NOT BE WATCHING IT AGIAN!!!!!

Disgusting. I am crying! I can’t believe this has happened. I hate this miserable world. It should end. God bless this little one and all of them. Animals, out best friends in the world should rule and we should serve them. God help us! :(

This comes as no surprise to me at all. I worked at an RSPCA facility once; not for long as the numbers of animals killed rather than rehabilitated and re-homed was shocking to me as a huge animal lover. They always justified it by blaming the animal in some way, or blaming the “people” responsible for the animal becoming that way (i.e. previous owners, breeder, someone but RSPCA itself). During my time in the facility, a really aged canine was admitted. This little dog was deaf and blind, had separation anxiety, and had a badly matted coat. I offered, repeatedly, to take her home so she could know love and kindness in her last days/weeks/months. I was told they would think about it. After her time was up and she remained unclaimed, it was my day off the next day. I said that I would take her home with me, I volunteered to pay the adoption fee despite my wage being $12 an hour (as an adult, not that many years ago). I was not given any assurances as to the dog’s future or the facility’s plans for her. On my return to work, my first question was as to this dog’s welfare. Imagine how upset I was when advised she had been killed the previous day…because “she would never have passed our assessment for re-homing”. Yep, I offered to take her, and even pay for her, and yet the shelter management preferred to kill her and dump her like rubbish, denying her a dignified end of life filled with love, kindness and compassion. She died alone, frightened, terrified probably, and wouldn’t have understood what was happening. Shame on the RSPCA. But this is what happens as a matter of routine. And it’s why I don’t really support it in any way…it receives millions of dollars in public funding yet cries poor and begs for the support of we, the animal loving population. It lies to us as to what it does while holding out its hands for our money. And it blames the victim rather than taking responsibility for its actions…the victim being a defenceless, voiceless animal that it is supposed to protect above all else.

I was very upset about this story and disgusted,that we have trust in shelters for someone to give dogs a second chance,but they let down the system greatly. I will never donate to the RSPCA but only give to small shelters who care what happens to animals,and try to give them the best life they deserve.
Very upsetting,that you was willing to rehome him and you should know best as you have been looking after him the longest to know his temperament, and what was best for him, a wasted life for the poor puppy.

Where I live it is the ASPCA. I volunteered with them for a while not knowing that they were hiding a secret. When I cam once or twice a week and a dog was gone, I thought it had been adopted. I will never really know if they were or if they were killed. Out of no whee there was a huge article in the paper and it seems they had a very high kill rate. Stopped volunteering. I was so sad to read the story about this puppy. Who puts a puppy down for separation anxiety, especially when they have a foster family who isn’t just willing but rally wants to help the dog!!! I am so sorry for you experience and the loss of such a sweet dog. Put it in the paper, make it public knowledge, get their stats, see what they tell people who bring there dog or cat to the RSPCA. Nothing makes things change as fast as public out rage. They are awful and I hate that they make themselves appear different than they are!!! So sorry for your pain.

I am so sorry for your loss..this is disgusting…Thomas is a beautiful dog. Thank you for caring and opening your hearts and home for him..I pray that justice will be served for what has happened to sweet Thomas.

Oh this is terrible. Shelter plead with people to foster or adopt and then this place does this! there is something very wrong with this system! Bless your hearts and Thomas’s too. He would have been a wonderful member of a family ! The Shelter needs to be Investigated!

THIS is an organisation that should be shut down and made accountable for ALL of their actions.
I don’t like using the word HATE when I think or talk about this organisation, because the word HATE is too mild a word to express what I think of this murdering scum.

Unbelievable. Except.. it’s totally believable. I wish I was surprised by this story.

Thank you, to the people who shared this story and their pictures of Thomas. It’s so important that the public starts to understand that when “certain organisations” consider that all options have been exhausted, they are clearly not on the same page as the rest of us. When they respond to questioning over their euthanasia rates and welfare record with cries that the general public is to blame for the sorry state of animal welfare, or the lack of care the public shows (except when that same public is responding to fundraising requests), think of things like this.

Here we have the RSPCA NSW – it could easily be another few organisations I can think of. You have somebody begging to take a dog on (or take a dog BACK) – and still they’re refused. What is the rationale? Surely it’s not cost – if nothing else, they could’ve saved the cost of a euthanasia injection and gained an adoption fee from the family that had fostered this dog. Was Thomas killed by mistake, and the foster carers lied to as a cover? That points to clear issues with the procedures and communication in the RSPCA.
It just doesn’t make sense. It’s a joke.

I can’t believe it!!!! How dare they do this to a baby that just wanted to be loved. He was blind and just wanted to make sure someone was with him. Being blind and afraid is no reason to kill a baby. He was beautiful! RIP Thomas honey? My thoughts and prayers and with your family.

Support animal charities that actually care about animals. Dont support the RSPCA they receive so much support and money but don’t use it appropriately for animal welfare. They need to be accountable and support other needy animal charities.

I know exactly how this carer feels. I was in this position many times with this organisation. The more you bargain with them, the more they are set on killing, even though this is the case from the get go. The sad thing is, the people who have the final overall say in the matter don’t know the animal, it’s merely just a number in amongst the kennels of dogs that are to be euthanaised in the coming days/weeks.

I am Horrified!
I know the amount of love and adoration which passes between our rescues and ourselves.
Such an act of cruelty!
Why do only some of us treasure the gift of life.
God bless baby Thomas.
Thank you for the beautiful pics.

For the past 4 years my daughter and I have done a ‘RSPCA CupCake Day’ to raise money for this organisation. I’d say a rough estimate of monies we raised would be $2,000 over that time.

Needless to say – I won’t be doing one this year. This is not the first ‘horror story’ I have heard/read about the RSPCA. They are a disgrace and someone must be held accountable for these ‘decisions’.

The Lort Smith are another good mob, too. They DO work with foster carers, and will try to keep animals who may otherwise wind up in the shelter system with their people. They also provide low-cost treatments for low income earners’ pets, too. And they don’t get anything NEAR the financial assistance that the Lo$t Dog$ Home and the R$PCA receive. (They also don’t accept council contracts to operate as a pound, either,)

Don’t give up the cupcake bake sale please! Do it and donate the money to local rescue groups that you get to know to help the animals. Your donations go so far or even use the money to buy food,toys and treats and then donate them to your local pounds. You and your daughter are good people for helping animals. I will NEVER donate to the Rspca,the Spca or the Humane Society of the United States ever again!!! Rip Thomas..run free at Rainbow Bridge forever young,happy and healthy with your vision there too!!!

This is just so sad. I am in disbelief…diagnosed with separation anxiety & killed because of it??? How bad was it supposed to be that he needed to die? What exactly did he used to do that was so unbearable that he could not be re-homed (even to the family offering him JUST THAT)
You have got to be kidding me. There are such things as separation related behaviours that can be worked on with independence & other types of training, but to kill a beautiful young dog already being treated & in a loving foster home with people who WANT TO ADOPT HIM is just beyond belief.
What monsters run that shelter. This is absolute madness.
So very sorry for Thomas this gentle pup & the family who tried to save him.
Gutted.

So very very sad let down by the very organisation that is supposed to help save him. People need to be educated on what really happens at the RSPCA and the fact that they are not always animal advocates at all and seem to just put an animal down which is too hard! Shame on you RSPCA . There is a pound on the Central Coast which is run by a private organisation and they have made it their mission to SAVE and rehome all strays that are unclaimed and very very rarely ever put a dog to sleep unless there is some medical reason they have to do it, shame this is not common practice among RSPCA.

One more reason the RSPCA will never get one more dollar of my money, I can’t believe they would do this, but they have a bad reputation, so maybe it is not a surprise to learn that they have put this dog to sleep when he could have been rehomed.

I am in tears from reading this! What is wrong with them? The public believe the media hype that they (the RSPCA) have the animals best interests at heart…. They have no such interest!!! They are a business that looks at the bottom $ and couldn’t care less about the animals… this is just one of many examples that testify to that! Why couldn’t his carers take him???
What is wrong with you RSPCA? C’mon people we have to stand up and demand that things change!

Has anybody ever listened to Hugh Worth on the radio. Such an arrogant know it all just like the organisation he was in charge of. They think they know all about animals but they are not in it for the welfare of all creatures great and small just the perpetuation of the organisation itself.

I love the animal show on ABC radio, when Sasha Herbert or another vet is on, but really dislike it when Hugh Wirth is on. So much misinformation is disseminated that jeopardises the health of people’s animals. I don’t know why the ABC keeps using him. There are far more better informed vets.

What a farcical lot the R.S.P.C.A. are. It makes me angry to think the money they spend on their advertising how they care for All Creatures Great and Small and then they do this. It is about time the government stepped in and put a stop to them. I am so sorry for your loss. Bless you Thomas. :(

This was so disturbing to read and i’m in total shock, how can these people do such a cruel thing?. Ending a life for no reason and not allowing this family to adopt this beautiful dog is beyond me. Shame on you RSPCA, not a single coin will ever drop in your tin, Respect ZERO!!!. :(

So sorry that you were treated this way. Even sorrier for the dog who should have had a life, but was never given the chance. I believe the RSPCA has lost its way. They no longer support the Animals they have in their care. It is easer to put them down. May God forgive them, for I can’t.

“For all creatures great and small” – not really eh. I speak from experience – I worked for a regional RSPCA Shelter for several years, we were doing an awesome job rehoming almost all the cats & dogs that came into our care. One day head office staff rocked up unannounced and started to euthanise our dogs which they deemed ‘un-adoptable’. I was begging them not to but it made no difference. I left almost immediately and now work for a no-kill shelter where life is valued we know un-perfect dogs are the only kind there is and we love them all for as long as it takes to find them all homes.

Yet still, people donate millions, and still, perfectly re-homable animals are killed.
I will never associate or say one good word about RSPCA Australia.
I am truly heartbroken for you, so, so sorry for your loss.
See you at Rainbow Bridge Tommy.

Disgusting. I had a dog with separation anxiety issues (which he eventually overcame) and it should not be a death sentence.

Especially not when that dog has someone who clearly loves and cares for it and would adopt it.

My heart goes out to Thomas’ carers; I’m sorry you were so heartlessly disrespected by this “not for profit” charity organisation. Just like Thomas, you deserved better.

(P.S. Please don’t let this turn you away from smaller rescue groups who still need carers like you– who clearly love and care for their charges– and the animals whose lives get saved and improved by them. There are people and animals who DO appreciate and acknowledge their fosters… and those fosters are the reason they’re able to save animals’ lives.)

Why doesn’t this surprise me, unfortunately stories like this are everywhere.

My concern is who polices the RSPCA? They have legislative powers and what are they?

Surely a safer way to go would be to increase AND TRAIN the number of rangers & pounds rather than ‘outsourcing’ the control of animals. No one organisation and a private one at that should have that amount of power.

I am in shock after reading this and I still cant believe it. I always understood the RSPCA was there to nuture all animals but sadly that is apparently not the case. My heart goes out to Thomas who was denied the chance to live, and to the family who would have loved him forever. SHAME- SHAME on you RSPCA, what hypocrites you are!!!!

OMG that is such a hearbreaking story. What a disgusting “shelter”. I hope they get such down and are never again given the chance to kill a dog that had a loving and caring family to protect him. Dispicable act.

What a disgraceful episode, probably repeated thousands of times over. The poor dog. The RSPCA should have sufficient experience to know that dogs don’t present the same way in a shelter as they do in a loving home. Poor Thomas had a loving home – anyone can see from the photos that he was thriving and would have continued to do so but for the RSPCA and their quick needle in the arm who gives a sh–. Well people do, now that they are finding out the truth about this organisation.

I rescue a breed of dog that is extremely gentle, loving and funny, delightful with all kinds of other animals and people and yet they CANNOT pass an RSPCA test and they get euthanased if they end up there. I also rescue other mistreated dogs, some from puppy farms – none of them would ever pass a test there and yet they are the most beautiful animals. Any timidity has been created from former treatment. It can be overcome. The RSPCA’s “test” is designed to make the majority of dogs fail … I honestly don’t know how they all sleep at night.

After years in the animal welfare industry, this story doesn’t surprise me. I’ve seen beautiful cats and kittens in foster care put down because young, inexperienced vets at shelters think they “may” have ringworm – even after testing negative for it. (Ringworm is a minor ailment and easily treated). I’ve seen others put down simply because they’re frightened. Seperation anxiety? My God, what next? Geez, better put that cat down cos its eyes are the wrong shade of green! It seems any reason is a good one to kill animals who are not absolutely perfect! This is hardly “animal welfare”.

these are the types of stories that make me so angry and I will now not give the RSPCA a red cent. I give my donations to Rescue Groups who have the animals best interest at heart and do it hard without any financial support from anyone.

The RSPCA should be investigated by a Royal Commission and the sooner the better.

what a beautiful boy,this is so sad.
big hugs to u,and may he rest in peace.
my whole life i did everything to support the RSPCA thinking they were saving animals, but in the last few yrs,i keep reading more n more horrid stories like this,
it is a fucking disgrace.
all creatures great and small my ass, the president of RSPCA Victoria is on the pork board for god sakes.
they are putrid oxygen thieves!

I am utterly horrified that the RSPCA handled Thomas the way they did its barbaric. There needs to a be a full and legal enquiry into the practices of the rspca they are NOT transparent and as a charity they should be.

I have had enough rejection from them on 3 seperate occasions where i had serious concerns about welfare and neglect of dogs. NEVER did they attend any of the cases.They continually referred me to other agencies

They are NOT in the interest of animals.

There are pics of the manager of the Queensland (i think) rspca being photographed at the greyhounds for goodness sake.

There are legal requirements that the RSPCA have in terms of rehoming rather than euthanizing dogs when there are other options.
We really need a very good lawyer to take them on and maybe then we will see change. They think they are invincible.

This is so odd my Tobi I got from the RSPCA Brisbane, he is Shitzu about 10 yrs old, he never licked or cuddled me hates being held, and growls and bites if he doesnt know what is going on even the vet has to muzzle him. In spite of he is the dearest soul and brings me much delight. He went totally blind, just 4 weeks ago and we are learning to deal with this. He is now more cuddly less bitey etc. My point he could not have passed the personality test as he came to me. Is this because he was a little dog.
It makes me so sad that so many dogs dont get given the opportunity Tobi was due to not passing the test

Just totally heartbreaking cannot believe that this type of thing is and does happen but hearing RSPCA yagoona does not surprise me one bit they make me so angry and something needs to be done about them as I too have had a bad experience with this organisation not as bad as this but pretty bad considering they are supposed to be doing the right thing by people

I went there several times looking for a dog for our family after loosing our female dog after 11 years I thought its time to love again and have a mate for our other dog ‘boy’ so many times I went in to see a lovely rotti they had there and sat with her talking to her getting to know her and every time speaking to staff there about our situation having a 2 yr old boy and another dog wanting to take her on and every time they told me she was fine a great loving calm dog so then something happened and I ended up coming across this lost dog running the streets in my area we posted photos advertised everywhere trying to find her owners took her to the vet to check for microchips nothing happened after more than four weeks searching for her owners we decided to keep her and done the right thing got her desexed and chipped and vac done then the unthinkable happened they both were let out of our yard by electricians and were lost luckily for us the call came in they has been found by the dog catcher and were both together at yagoona RSPCA

I went to go get them they were so happy to see me it was then I enquired about the rotti I was going to take on not letting them know I had been there so many times and the lady then tells me laughing how bad the dog was and crazy totally unpredictable and not to even think about taking the mad thing on I was so angry they were practically going to allow me to take on a crazy dog with full knowledge the dog was unsafe to be rehomed that done me I’d never recommend them to anyone

I know now and not only that but my dog had been hit by a car and they never bothered to let me know either and on top of that within one week they both had the worst coughing problem which when I took them to my local vet turns out they picked up kennel cough from there too I hate the place now

Kristie, You had contact with the Rotti and yet you allowed a total stranger to tell you the dog was crazy. All you had to do, if you were thinking of adopting the Rotti, or curious to see what the dog was really like, was to be privately with the dog in a separate room. If you were unsure, all you had to do was have a leash put on the dog to be tied and then you could have approached the dog. Chances are the Rotti would have remembered you and been OK. Some animals are so frightened by being in a cage that they act vicious, but outside the cage they’re sweethearts. You had contact with the Rotti. You don’t know if this laughing idiot ever had any personal contact.

You idiot! The dogs could get kennel cough from anywhere! And even if they did get it from the shelter it’s not the shelter’s fault they got it! Do you know how hard it is to prevent such a MINOR illness in a shelter environment?! It is so easily spread and so COMMON that it is easy for dogs to get. It’s just like a common cold for humans.

By not supporting the RSPCA more animals will be left to suffer. We should compel them to be answerable for these actions. Thank you for sharing such a sad story. I re-homed a dog from them and he is wonderful but has taken a lot of training. When presented with him they had hosed out the kennels and he was given to me absolutely soaked in urine! I thought then what a difference a clean dog with a bow around his neck instead of a nasty piece of rope would have made. My dog had damage to his throat from them dragging him around with this rope. Maybe if they went to a little trouble in the care of these animals they would find more homes for them.

I would never give money to the RSPCA or would never tell anyone to hand a pet to them; They don’t give a damn about animals they take on – ‘its all a front to collect money so much better giving to smaller places we have one near buy and we give them cash that way the rescue get it all or take the meat ect other than money.

The RSPCA are a disgrace….this poor little boy never stood a chance with them…their assessing of dogs is very hard for the dog….they are an organization that needs to be checked on….to you Mother & you I thank you for giving this little boy Thomas some love before this horrible decision was made….hang your heads RSPCA i will never support you again….RIP Thomas..xoxxo

The RSPCA lied about the age of the dogs my mother surrendered when she couldn’t care for them anymore. We tried to re-home them privately but couldn’t find homes. They claimed 8yo dogs where 2yo because they said there was a better chance of re-homing them.
I don’t understand what is wrong with mature dogs.
I learnt not to trust the RSPCA even for all the good work they appear to do (after they have paid the salaries etc of their Executive and Managers).

my heart breaks for you and for this incredible tragedy. I’m horrified at the RSPCA and this situation…..as advocates for animal welfare this is truly disturbing. I hope you can find some peace. the love and care you gave ‘Thomas’ is a blessing. ….run free dear, precious boy <3

RSPCA is meant to mean prevention of cruelty to animals…….this is the cruelest thing I have heard. Disgusting. People donate to this cause but are not aware of what they are doing, This needs a lot of publicity. Poor Thomas…I hope he enjoyed his short life.